The rapid resignation of Mark Lewis

He was unfiltered, unscripted, and unpolished — and that’s exactly how they liked him. For 15 years, the citizens of El Cajon elected and re-elected Mark Lewis, making him the city’s longest serving mayor.

“He knew he was just a regular guy. That’s why the public felt so comfortable around him,” said El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick. “It’s like your next door neighbor just happens to be the mayor.”

A lack of filters precipitated Lewis’ resignation Thursday, after he made controversial remarks about the city’s large Chaldean, or Iraqi Christian, minority. In a magazine interview several months ago, Lewis, 65, said Chaldeans are taking advantage of social services.

On Thursday, he said he apologized if he offended anyone and was stepping down due to health problems. Lewis had a minor stroke in 2010 and spoke of more recent ailments, including cancer. He had already announced that he would not seek re-election.

Lewis didn’t respond to several interview requests for this story, and no one at his house answered the door. As his legacy will be debated — was he a good mayor or did he overstay his welcome? — in and around El Cajon, his comments were eclipsed by his rapid downfall.

“Under the circumstances, the mayor did the right thing. His comments were deeply unfortunate and the city needs to move forward,” said County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

Star Bales, a Chaldean who used to cut Lewis’ hair and then served on a commission with him, said he stepped down too fast.

“I never felt as a minority when I was around him. I felt I was just as American as he is,” Bales said. His words came as “a shock” but she added she believes there is “some truth” to them.

Joan Shoemaker, El Cajon’s mayor before Lewis, said the situation left her pained.

“I’m sorry for the people of El Cajon, because we went a long way to build relationships with all of our ethic communities. … I’m so sorry that this has happened,” she said.

When he took office as El Cajon’s mayor in 1998, Lewis, then a councilman, husband and father, squeezed in by 142 votes, unseating Shoemaker, the genteel incumbent mayor whose campaign focused on economic issues.

On Lewis’ agenda: “Bring fun back to El Cajon,” he said at the time. That he did. He wore a chicken hat and danced the chicken dance at an annual festival, and he brought weird props to council meetings.

He was not shy about being portly, and in an U-T interview in 2012, he said he is not a big fan of power suits.

“I don’t think it makes you any sharper if you wear a tie,” Lewis said — though it’s not clear if he meant smart, or smart looking.

Then there was the time he sat on a toilet on Magnolia St., to inspire people to think about being less wasteful.

“I’m not sure if Mark was embarrassed, but it was embarrassing to some people,” said Bill Garrett, El Cajon’s former city manager. “There was a purpose to that. He was recycling.”